Measuring cups are known. Measuring cups can be made from a variety of materials, including plastic, metal and glass. One of the most common measuring cups found on the market today is a transparent measuring cup made of Pyrex.RTM. which is resistant to sudden changes in temperature to which it may be submitted during use.
The utility derived from a measuring cup is related to the ease with which volumetric indicia on the measuring cup's wall may be read by a user. Of course, any suitable units of measurement may be used to indicate the level to which contents have risen within a measuring cup.
Traditional measuring cups have indicia marked upon the measuring cup wall in such a manner which sometimes makes the indicia difficult to read, depending upon how precise a measurement is needed, the materials from which the measuring cup is manufactured and the physical condition of the user, for example. In the case of a measuring cup which is made from transparent or translucent material, e.g., Pyrex.RTM., the most precise way to measure the contents contained therein is to place the measuring cup upon a level surface, pour the contents to be measured into the measuring cup and then stoop down to the vertical level of the measuring cup to attempt to visually detect the bottom of a liquid meniscus or to a level surface of solid contents. An alternative method to read the level to which contents in a transparent or translucent measuring cup have risen is to lift the measuring cup to eye level and attempt to hold the measuring cup steady while visually detecting the volume. In either use, the observer is looking in a generally horizontal direction to detect the volume.
Prior art measuring cups that are opaque are more difficult to read than transparent or translucent measuring cups. In order to read the volume of contents held within an opaque measuring cup, a user must peer over the upper margin of the measuring cup to eyeball, as closely as possible, the level to which contents have risen, either by stooping to the measuring cup's level or by lifting the measuring cup to eye level.
While the above-described methods for determining the volume of contents in a measuring cup may seem simple enough for most users, these methods can prove to be difficult for others. Users with bad knees, a bad back, or arthritis, for example, may not only have substantial difficulty in stooping over to accurately read the volume of contents in a measuring cup placed on a level surface, but may also have just as much difficulty in lifting a measuring cup to eye level and holding the cup steady to read the volume of contents held therein. When precise measurement of the volume of contents within a measuring cup is critical to a task, the simple actions of bending over or lifting a measuring cup to eye level, which seem easy to some users, may become difficult and uncomfortable for others.
Measuring the volume of cooking ingredients using prior art measuring cups can also be frustrating. As mentioned above, it can be difficult for a user to stoop over to read the level of contents when placed on a level surface or when lifted to eye level. An unsteady hand not only makes the volume of contents difficult to determine when a measuring cup is lifted to eye level, but a user may spill contents or even drop the measuring cup when attempting to do so.
Measuring cups are not limited in their utility to the kitchen, of course. They may also be used for measuring proper ratios of solutions, e.g., antifreeze, the precise measurement of which is critical to its application and simplicity of determining a precise volume is necessary. Other common household solutions can be dangerous, e.g., toxic or caustic, and when a measuring cup is filled with these solutions, the possibility of spilling them within the proximity of a child or a pet greatly increases when a measuring cup must be raised to eye level to determine the volume of its contents.
It is an object of the present invention to simplify the way in which a person can accurately detect the volume of material held in a measuring cup.
It is another object of the invention to improve a measuring cup to make it more conductive to simplify an accurate volume determination.